Goa Congress sews up secular coalition against BJP

The Congress-MGP coalition comes close on the heels of continued dissidence within the national party. Though the Congress enjoys the support of 24 MLAs in the 40-member State Legislature, Chief Minister Faleiro was under intense pressure from his colleagues to be included in the Cabinet. Last month, the two-member United Goans Democratic Party merged with the Congress. Now only the Goa Rajiv Congress (GRC), a splinter group of the ruling party shares the Opposition space with the BJP.

Faleiro, however, insists that the coalition will strengthen secular forces in the State. “We have to cross the artificial boundaries in the interest of the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, Khalap has drawn flak from the MGP party organisation for aligning with the Congress. “Khalap should go with the party’s decision, not force his wishes on the party,” MGP president Surendra Sirsat told The Indian Express. Khalap, however, said the party executive had cleared his decision to negotiate with the Congress.

Khalap, who is not interested in a ministerial berth, is likely to contest the North Goa Lok Sabha seat with Congress support, according to Congress sources. MGP legislator Prakash Velip and Suresh Parulekar, UGDP MLA who defected to the Congress, are likely to be accommodated into the Cabinet, say sources.

With the party deciding to stick to its election promise to restrict the size of its Cabinet to just six ministers, several Congress aspirants are likely to be disappointed.